so we must fall
by TuesdayTerrible
Summary: when the opportunity presented itself, i took it. merle and andrea at their finest.
1. Alcohol

A/N: Merle and Andrea drabbles. Because theyre the two characters I love to hate, and hate to love. Enjoy.

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::Alcohol::

There's something slightly charming about Merle Dixon and a bottle of bourbon. I mean not in the, oh he's magically a good human being, but he comes drastically more bearable- less...of an angry perverted asshole like youd expect. He took another swig of the bottle leaning against the ply wood, fire blazing near his boots. He lets out a breath and she can see it rise in the cold night air as she extends her hand indicating her need for another sip of the bottle. He doesn't do more but grunt as he leans forward sharing his alcohol, eyes vaguely rolling up to the sky.

"You really aint seen em?" Merle says quietly. "My brother?"

Andrea's face makes a tight smile as she takes another swig, the world a little more shaky,little less stable.

"Not for months-" She muttered softly, watching his face fall. She sighed watching her breath linger in the air before finishing off the bottle, tossing it carelessly to the side. Its shell shattering and exploding all over the asphalt. It must take a lot to make Merle Dixon flinch, his eyes were glossed over carelessly watching the flames completely undeterred by her little onslaught.

"I think." She said taking a deep breath. "I think I know how you feel." wishing alcohol didnt make her feel the desire to fill the silence between them.

"Oh yeah?" he said lifting his metal hand, flexing fingers he could only feel but not see. "Bout wha'"

"Bout Daryl."

His eyes turned mean then and he crossed the space between them venomously. "Whatya know bout tha' suga tits?" His lips curled into a tight snarl.

She pushed him away gently undetereed.

"Jus...wantin to see em again. The not knowin... the...not wantin not wanting him to be yknow...the _walking dead."_ Andrea said a quiet hiccup in her voice. "Wish it hadnt happened to Amy."

Merle rocked back on his heels a little bit, staring at Andrea as if he was seeing her in a new light. "Forgot you had a sister." he mumbled, sliding over so he was now beside her instead of in front of her. Silence brewing between the two, the only sound before the snap and crack of the fire.

"Govenors gonna be lookin for ya." He said finally.

Andrea stared at him for a minute, a small smile brimming her lips. "Ya. Suppose so" she rose to a stand pausing only briefly.

"Hey Merle."

"Ya'" He said, his mind everywhere else but on the girl before him.

"Ya aint such an asshole."

He smirked a bit, despite the fact he was brotherless and she was walking into another mans bed.

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A/N: Please Review. :)


	2. Mangerines

A/N: Another Merle and Andrea bit. Fraid hes a tad OOC here. Promise its not a permanent thing. We can chop it up to his hormones if you like. Enjoy.

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Mangerines

There were a hundred thousand things that could be said pointidly about Merle Dixon. There was a hundred adjectives to describe him, and a multitude of curse words to add to the mix. But what most people didnt know about Merle Dixon was the reason he was such a good survivor was NOT contributed to his lack of a give a damn, or his moral compase. The fact was he had already survived. His father had given him all the tools he need. You watched, and you listened. You watched what people did, and you listened to what they said when no one else was around. And that, was all you needed to survive.

It was the first time however, that he found himself listening for a purpose other than survivor. Now, he would never say he CARED about Andrea. He may say he CARED about getting laid- but he didnt care about Andrea- no sir, no way- he did NOT care for the overactive feminist who was desperate to do something more in this damned world. No, no he didnt.

But when he happened to over hear her tell another lady that mangerines were her favorite fruit and she would do almost anything to have another bite. He wondered if he counted as almost anything. So he went on this complete frugal mission to find a fruit that he hadnt ever bothered to taste in his lifespan. He of course, came up empty handed of the fruit but NOT without gathering a few seeds from the inside of a half rotten one at a grocery store about 15 miles out.

"Got somethin for ya." He said as he stood outside her house that resided within woodbury.

She raised and eyebrow as he extended and laid five white seeds into her hand. "And this is?"

"Mangerines." He said feeling kind of stupid, extending a hand to rub the back of his neck. "Seeds anyway. Figured if ya were gonna be here a while ya could plant em and see if ya can get yourself some. Or somethin'. I aint no gardner woman I just..."

She smiled, and it was beautiful. (beautiful? What the actual fuck?)

"Merle Dixon." she said her arms encasing themselves around his neck. "I do believe this is the nicest thing you have ever done." Her lips gently pressing against his cheek. He jerked reflexivly away to the left as if burned, he was used to sex. Not this affection crap. His eyes reflected that.

Her smile held none the less. "Goodnight Merle."

And she was gone in a sweet smelling blur, leaving Merle feeling something between prideful and disgusted.

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A/N: R its always appreciated.


	3. Gun

A/N: If anyone has any specific drabbles theyd like to see done, feel free to leave a review or PM me, I generally dont bite.

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:Gun:

It had been Shane who had taught Andrea how to dissemble and clean her weapon. It had been Rick who had taught her how to turn the safety off. And it had been a combination of the two who taught her to wield it correctly. She wasnt a bad shot either, not spectacular- but good. She could definantly hands down hold her own, and she was proud of that.

But thats where she was careless. Prideful left room for people to get hurt, and in this world killed. And Merle Dixon had taught her that.

The Govenor had insisted that even though she claimed to be a good shot, that Merle take her for some extra practice before going up on the wall. Andrea hated to admit it, but she was ready to show off her abilities to the pissed off looking Dixon. If showing him up was all it took to contribute- hell did it matter if he was pissed.

"Whats got you all pissed off?" She said trying her damndest not to smile.

"Dont see why I'm stuck babysitting your sorry ass." Merle said his eyes never leaving the road as he pulled off onto the dirt trail and leaving the car in park. "We walk from here."

Andrea stayed quiet as she followed Merle Dixon to a shooting range that looked pretty well orchestrated.

"Phillip set all this up?" Andra mused, her hand already caressing her gun.

"Pft. Fuck if he did." Merle said taking a step beside her. "I did."

She stared towards him as she cockily bent herself into position, shooting the can off its post, first shot.

"Nothing to it." she said simply, twirling her gun on one finger when Merle grabbed her arm angrily stopping her dead swing.

"The hells wrong with you woman?" He hissed, putting his face close to hers. "ya respect ya god damn weapons this aint no baton your playing with. Its a gun. You KILL people with it. What ya of done if I seen you twirling this thing around and I pistol whip you with mine? Dont even gotta shoot to knock ya out and …." Merle backed off his mind going elsewhere "stupid bitch."

It took her a minute, anger, embarassment, and the most surprising one – regret. Merle Dixon had a fucking point, god be damned.

"Your right." She said shooting three more cans off their stand.

And thats the closest to an apology he was going to get.

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A/N: Respect yo weapons fool! And as always, read and review.


	4. Silence

A/N: Aww so happy to have some reviews on these simple drabbles, thanks to everyone who is reading. You really make my day. :)

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::Silence::

He hates that she's quiet. He's learned from expierience quiet is just a warning before something bad happens. It was with his father. It was with storms. And it sure as hell was with Andrea. She was quiet because she was HURTIN. And no fuckin Dixon knew how to deal with other peoples grief. He never knew how to deal with Daryls. He didnt know how to calm people. Didnt know how to shield Andrea from the grief that she had been fuckin a mad man and that the only company she now had was him outside of Woodbury in the woods where walkers could easily find em and murder them in their sleep.

"ya aint gonna kill yourself are ya?" He mummbled under his breath poking at the fire with a stick, as he watched her stare into the flames looking at far away as one of those geeks.

She smiled than after a pause. "They all thought that, after I lost Amy. Almost did if it wasnt for Dale."

Merle bit on his lower lip. She was confiding in him. That wasnt a good thing. What was he suppose to do with that? To do with her?

"Well...ya didnt." He said, before taking a pause of his own. "Why not now that Dales gone?"

"I dont know." she answered honestly. "Your brother asked me that once. After I tried. Asked if I still wanted to and all I could tell him was I didnt know."

"What he say?"

"Not much of an answer." She said watching Merles lips turn into a small smirk. "Waste of an arrow."

"Ya know, I aint nothin special. Nothin worth livin for. But if ya gonna blow ya brains out- think ya could give me a heads up so I dont become walker food along with ya?"

"Wouldnt drag ya down with me." Andrea said chuckling slightly. Her eyes looked tired, but not in the I want to sleep way. The I want to give up on life way.

He stood and moved over beside her tentativly. "Id throw pretty much anybody under the bus to keep myself alive. Id kill numerous amounts of people living or dead to find my brother and keep him and myself safe."

Somewhere in his speil she turned to face him, her eyes desperatly searching his for something. Anything.

"Point is. Ya cant trust me. Nobody can trust me. Hell, Daryl would barely trust me. I dont give kind words I cant reassure ya anythins gonna go right for ya in this shit world. But...I tell ya what. Ya stick around. We make it somewhere in one piece, and I aint ever gonna discard ya. I wont throw ya under a bus to save my own skin. I don like ya or nothin. But I sure as hell don want anythin bad to happen to ya. Figure ya been through enough. Think ya can do that? Think ya can hang on."

She smiled softly, and the silence?

Well the silence became less scary.

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A/N: Awwww I kinda sorta like this one. But Id like to know your opinion more. R&R


	5. Belts

::Belts::

It had never really occurred to Andrea that Merle had a past beyond the zombie apocolapse. I mean, they all did. But after a certain point, you didnt think about that anymore. You didnt think about what made people who they were- who they are- you just kind of assume the zombies made you behave however you do. It wasnt until they find a stream that she thinks to wonder about Merle Dixon, why he is the way he is- and what the hell happened to him before the world came to an end.

He hadnt really thought about it. They mostly travelled in silence, Andrea and him. Exchanging few words- other than her to question him, or him on ocassion attempt to get laid. When he found the stream, he moved as if he was alone- taking his shirt off and dunking it into the water hoping to clean off some of the zombie gore and cool the fuck down. He didnt think to be self conscious of the scars that littered his back, not until he turned around to Andreas gaping face did he feel, for the first time, something he assumed resembled embarassment. Needless to say, he didnt like it.

"What ya lookin at?" He said a small smirk playin across "Like wha ya see? Cause Merles been waitin for ya to come ever so patiently."

She didnt smile back, or brush him off as she usually did. She crossed the distance between them and lay a soft hand on his bicep as she leaned over to inspect his back. "My god Dixon. What the hell happened to you?" her voice no more than a whisper.

His insides burned with anger, embarassment, all sorts of nasty feelings that he tried to smother down. It was pointless to try and smolder it, he was a Dixon couldnt control nothing, damn sure couldnt control anger and he pushed past her angrily. "Never said I was pretty to look at. Aint none of ya god damn business."

She paused her mouth tightning up, not out of anger, not biting back a comment as she had probably done a handful of times since she had been travelling with Merle Dixon but out of concer.

"I never said you weren't pretty to look at." She said realizing how stupid she must sound. "It just means your tough. Your scars I mean. We dont have to talk about it."

And with those simple words, she knelt down next to the stream splashing some water on her face, trying to freshen up a bit to without stripping in front of the redneck man next to her.

"My ol' man." Merle said gruffly. "was a drunk. Couldnt find damn near anythin like that, nothin but his belt me, my ma, and daryl if I wasnt around to stop it."

She didnt look up, just stared straight ahead- listening. Part of her waiting and wanting him to continue, another part of her hoping he stopped there. He knelt down beside her than, his stump draping over his leg as he looked at her.

"Dont ya be pitying me now woman. Didnt tell ya for that."

"What did you tell me for?" she whispered her eyes meeting his for the first time since his personal confession.

"Don know." he said shrugging, mimicking her earlier movements with the water. "Guess ya growin on me suga-"

"Dont even say it." She said splashing him slightly. "Dont ruin the moment."

"Suite yourself darlin. I may have my fair share a scars but ya dont know wha' ya missin."

She smirked. Merle Dixon had to be the most confident, most horny man alive. She was sure of it. And somehow, that didnt repulse her quite as much as it used to.

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A/N: Keep reviewing, and Ill keep on keeping on. :P Hope you guys enjoy it. I have a lot of fun writing these two. :)


	6. Green

A/N: Cant sleep; and this is the result. I write more Andrea/Merle drabbles. What is that? Three drabbles in one day? or two drabbles in one day and one at 12:01 the next day? Eh_. Doesnt matter_ anyway, special thanks to Zombie slayer- your diligent reviewing so far has made me smile like :D- so there is some implied Caryl in there, just for you. Enjoy.

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:Green::

He found his brother, at long last the duo became whole- just as with Andrea the group seemed to rejoice with her prescence. Things had changed though, in the year he had been seperated from his brother with great joy came great...enstrangement. Daryl was different. He hugged him, yet he watched him cautiously around one woman imparticular. He hovered uneccesarly at Ricks side. He- he wasnt his brother from Atlanta. He was foreign to him and Merle HATED that.

He got into fights more, had guns put at his head more, and left dark bruises on his brother torso. But bruises didnt make him come back. Daryl felt so far away from him and so involved with these people that he HATED it.

Then he saw Andrea, looking over a map with Rick. Officer Friendly had lost his beloved wife, and there was Andrea (whend he stop thinking of her as sugar tits?) leaning over him, her breast touching his forearm, and laughing.

He wasnt sure if that was icing on the cake or not- but he found that he HATED that too, and he ended up acting even worse.

Merle Dixon would meet the end of the world alone, how bitter fucking sweet was that. When he wasnt antagonizing- he was watching. He was watching Andrea sit next to Rick at the campfire, he was watching Daryl lower Carol to a seat next to the same fire- eyes settling on her to long. He watched as Andrea listened with respect to Rick talk. He was always watching.

He turned to his tent, that Daryl didnt share with him for reasons he didnt understand why and wasnt chick enough to ask his brother bout when Andrea came wandering in.

"Green isnt a becoming color Dixon." Andrea whispered. He wanted to pretend he was asleep. He just lay there, listening to her breathe as she sat next to his lying form.

"Aint green." he whispered. "aint jealous."

She smiled. "Hes missed you too ya know. He just doesnt know how to show it. He doesnt know who to be around you anymore. Hes not...the same man from Atlanta, even I can tell that."

He doesnt say anything as she gets up and leaves his tent, her attempt at comforting him over. He waits until his tent door ruffles close before he lets out a

"Hes only half the problem, woman."

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A/N: Poor Merle, sorry your jelly babycakes. Maybe youll win Andrea over one day :P


	7. Green 2

A/N: Two smirnoffs, make me tired and boring. Anyway, its andreas turn.

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Green(2)

Andrea watched Merle watch Daryl, if she had learned anything from Merle- it was the fact that you didnt have to talk to know someone. All you had to do was be aware, watch, learn, and you can develop an understanding of said person without exchanging more than a handful of words.

She watched him stare longingly at his brother before he went up to him and start a fight. She watched the way his lips turned when he spat out something mean out at him, and she watched him watch Daryls reaction. She's not sure if it had taken Merle two weeks to determine what had changed Daryl- or if it was the fact that he just decided he had to act on it.

Merle's impulse control seemed to baffle her when it mattered. But when he stomped his way across the camp towards Carol- she was already close behind ready to intervine at any second.

"Ay!" He barked towards Carol as he lay a hand on her shoulder, turning her around from the clothing line, he felt her shoulder wince from his touch and he pulled back his hand as if burned. Andrea stepped in immediately, putting herself between Merle and Carol, eyes blazing.

"What the hell do you think youre doing?" She hissed, eyes a blazing.

His eyes werent on her- and she found that pissed her off, Carols frail hands gently touching her forearms.

"Its okay." Carol said strongly, not at all like the woman washing clothes with her from the quarry, not at all the woman who lost her daughter at the farm, not at all like the woman she remembered. "You just wanna talk dont you Merle?"

"Yea." Merle said, eyes never leaving Carols. "Just want to talk."

Andrea found herself stepping out of the way- the two walking a few feet away from her, and she felt her jaw drop to the floor. She could not believe Merle fucking Dixon was going to talk to Carol. What the hell did he have to talk to her about? She bit the inside of her lips watching in a combination of disgust as Daryl approached her, his hand tightning on his bow.

"Ya fuckin let her walk off with em?" He said as he took a step forward, Andrea moving to grab Daryl before he took off towards his brother.

"Hes talkin to her." she said eyes never leaving the two of them.

"Thats dangerous enough." Daryl growled, shrugging her off and continuing to em.

She didnt get any of the conversation that transpired within five minutes, but she noticed before Merle left the two of them- he had exchanged a hug with his brother that lasted longer than a normal Dixon greeting. She had noticed the smile on Carols face, and she couldnt help but feel the slightest bit...green that she hadnt been able to understand and witness the TRUE reunion between the two like she had.

Andrea didnt bother to stand around and gawk any more, Rick sure enough would have something of more use for her to do than stare at the Dixons...much more important then Merle Dixon.

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A/N: Thanks for all of you following and reviewing. I love all of you.


	8. Distance

A/N: another one from last night; before my internet crashed. :P

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Distance

Merle didnt completely understand the relationship Daryl had with _that woman _Carol, but he had chosen to gracefully accept it; which in itself was a chore because Dixons never did anything gracefully. But he had, it had taken him days to truelly process the butt of Daryls change- and though he didnt unerstand his relationship with _that woman _he accepted it. Because he loved his brother, and if loving his brother meant accepting _her. _Well, he could do that, didnt wanna do that- but he could do that.

If he really gave himself the chance, hed expect Daryl to the same. He just hoped that Carol was as good as she seemed to be. Cause Merle never forgive himself for loosening his reins on his babybrother for some washed up has been whore to break his baby brothers heart. Hell no.

So he managed to find some peace, though small, from the new found distance from his brother. Still, he knew how to handle a Dixon- his brother, no matter how _soft_ his brother was, he was still a _Dixon_ so fixing things hadnt been HARD just...a matter of figuring what he wanted to give, and how much Daryl could take. Dixons were easy. Its the rest of the damn people that were hard to figure out.

Like Andrea. He hated that woman. Hated how god damn attractive she was and that she wouldnt even spit in his general direction. He hated the fact that she was so damn full of herself and that her pride was a big as his. He hated the fact she could hold her own and that shed always go into the bed with all the wrong men- all the wrong men but HIM. He hated that she was starting to look at Rick in that admiration kinda way. He hated that Officer Friendly was so damn admirable. So damn good.

"He aint your type." He says one day next to her at dinner, her teeth ripping into a piece of deer meat HE caught and cooked with Carol.

She smirked, finishing what was in her mouth before responding with a "and what do ya know bout my type?"

He paused, Rick in fact was the epitomy of her type. He was a leader. He was powerful. He was everything Merle wasnt. He chewed on the inside of his lip for a minute, grappling for something mean and hurtful to say, anything to bite back and make him feel like he wasnt shit on the bottom of her shoe.

And for the first time, Merle came up empty handed.

"'evermind." he muttered rising to a stand. "Hes probably had a lot of expierience with whores."

Andrea knew he didnt know that Rick's wife had cheated on him with Shane. Hell, he didnt know that baby girl wasnt actually Ricks- or might not actually be Ricks. He didnt know she had fucked Shane before she was fucking the govenor- he didnt know any of these things because he hadnt been here and she hadnt told him. But it still hurt.

And when the retort didnt follow him to his tent, he found himself slipping inevitably farther away from her again.

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A/N: R&R


	9. Truth

A/N: Theres something about slowly edging these two together that makes this so enjoyable for me. I hope you all feel the same. Enjoy.

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Truth

There was things Andrea thought about Merle Dixon. For one he was an ass. But for another the man was the toughest thing shes ever run into- survived more injuries than Rick, Carl, or Daryl- at least from the damn Apocalypse for fucks sake- he cut off his own hand. But here he was looking down outside a makeshift tent with Daryl looking so hurt that for one second Andrea was frozen in place just staring at the two.

It wasnt that Merle was upset- it was Daryl. He kept rubbing his eyes with the palm of his hand, knocking shit over, pacing and randomly pushing at Merle. She must have watched him do the cycle two times, while Merle just stood there and let him.

Carol had gotten shot. She wasnt the first person to, nor would she be the last, Andrea was sure. But the sounds from the tent seemed to escalate Daryl even farther into his anguish. She managed to approach the two, eyeing Merle and than Daryl cautiously.

"S'my damn fault." he groaned, rubbing at his eyes. "s'gonna be dead cuza me."

Merle didnt say a word while Daryl spoke, his body completely rigid, he offered no words of comfort, didnt know how to give none- and in that one split moment, the toughest thing Andrea knew looked so helpless that she wanted nothing more than to rectify the situation for him.

"Hey Daryl." she said softly crouching down to his slumped up form. "Carols changed a lot since I last saw her. Shes tough now. I bet she can pull through it."

Daryl smirked little bit, glancing up at her. "survived hell lot worse."

The corner of Merles lips twisted up into a bit of a smirk, clasping an awkward hand on his little brothers shoulder, before briskly brushing away from the tent. Andrea turned to follow before suggesting Daryl see if he could round up something to eat for when Carol got up- a chore he seemed to not mind the slightest doin.

"Not good at that shit." Merle said as Andrea approached him.

"Comforting your brother?" Andrea said, moving next to him.

"Naw. Baby brothers so damn sensitive. End of the world, bodys droppin and hes bout to lose his head over some woman- aint like em. Dont get it. Dont get whats so important."

"He loves her." Andrea said simply, trying to keep the shock out of her voice. "Everyone can tell."

"He aint makin no claim on her though." Merle said ignoring the tone of her voice. "He just lookin at her, makin her a responcibility he don need. Aint touchin her. Aint barely talkin to her."

"He doesnt need to." Andrea persisted quietly. "Sometimes people are just drawn to eachother because they are so similar. Have you ever felt that way with someone?"

"I don do that pussy shit." Merle said, turning to glare at her. "Aint nobody out there like me."

She smiled at that.

Aint that the god damn truth.

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A/N: RandR Ill love you forever :)


	10. Temptation

A/N: Im dedicating this one to Gone Random- the wonderful creator of the choice (go read it). And whose reviews make me celebrate. Now, onward to the first REAL Merle and Andrea bit. :)

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Temptation

It had been a long time since Merle had felt the temptation to do something that he deemed BAD. I mean lets face it, he didnt have much of a moral compass. Hed kill half the people he travelled with and wouldnt think twice bout it startin with the niggers, and finishing with officer fuckin friendly. He did more drugs than anybody he knew post apocolapse, and slept with people like it was his job. So when he thought that he was going to be doing something really bad- there was a part of him that flushed with fear- and another part, not so much.

Andrea had cut her jeans off into these ass hugin shorts that made his crotch literally throb at the sight of her. He could usually curb his temptation, he didnt rape no women- thats what pieces of scum like his good for nothin ole man do. Not him. But hed be lying if in that moment the thought didnt cross his mind.

"Not focusin" Daryl nodded to the stick in his brothers lap, barely scraped with his knife.

"Shup Darylena, enjoyin the view."

Daryl rolled his eyes, "pft." as he picked up another stick to sharpen up from the pile between the two of them.

Carol came out then, arm in a sling, taking a seat next to Daryl as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Your brother likes her doesnt he?" Carol said softly, gesturing towards Merle. Merle felt his skin fingers tighten around the knife unconsciously. He didnt like this woman, she was to god damn observant.

"Naw. Merle's just a pervert." He said his lips twistin up into a smirk.

"Ya want me to show ya what a pervert I am darylena? I tear you a fuckin new one." Merle growled, resuming his mind numbing dumbass work in front of him.

Daryl laughed, as Carol took a sideways glance at Andrea. She couldnt help but wonder if the woman knew what she was doing to the eldest Dixon brother or not. Daryl could call the look his brother was giving Andrea lust til the cows came home. It wasnt lust- it was longing. She knew the difference, it had been the same way she had quietly watched Daryl when her husband had been alive. A longing for something more, something bettter- something that would always be inevitably out of reach. And than it wasnt. She hoped the same would happen for Merle- not that she dare tell him that of course.

She had volunteered to go huntin with him. He couldnt believe his mind, it was like the temptation to do wrong was right there. He could violate her and leave her for the dead if he wanted- thing was- didnt want that. Hell, while she looked damn good enough to eat- he didnt wanna fuck her. Naw he wanted to kiss her and that pissed him the hell off.

So with every god damn step Merle Dixon took the leaves crunched under his feet sent every livin critter flocking off in every other direction.

It wasnt like Merle she noticed, to make a lot of noise. The man walked with such a light foot he scared her hundreds of times when it was just the two of them. A trait she noticed his brother possessed also- but this- this Merle Dixon she hadnt seen other than when he was angry.

"What are you angry for?" she said stopping abruptly, making him stop and go rigid.

"You." he growled low in his throat. "Hunt with Daryl. Not you."

"Yknow your brother wants to stay with Carol right now- you LET me join you. Now whats the real reason?" Andrea said crossing her arms impatiently.

He hated her, he didnt even have to look over his shoulder to see the face she was giving him. He was so mad he didnt know what to do with himself and within two quick steps, he grabbed her by the shoulder, pulled her to him and kissed her hard on the mouth.

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A/N: As always, thanks for reading.


	11. Intoxication

A/N:Thanks for all the wonderful reviews. I love you all. Enjoy. :)

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Intoxication

When Merle Dixon kissed her- the only way she could think to describe it was like being drunk. Everyone under the sun knows how to get drunk, but when your drunk the world goes a little off kilter, seems a little brighter, and when you wake up your not sure how you ended up butt ass naked draped over a pool table.

Yeah...kissing Merle Dixon had been a brief rough heated intoxication that he had no sooner started than ended. Part of her had expected him to fuck her right there, they could do that. Hell she could do that- she could fuck him, she could stand the lay on the regular basis but at the same time.

She couldnt.

And apparently niether could he, because he stood there- like a deer in head lights just gawking at her when he seperated the two of them.

She bit her lower lip wondering if she should play with the fire in front of her, or if she should snuff it out right there. It felt like she was trying to walk with the world spinning all around her, and there was Merle Dixon standing solid in the middle of it.

"Aint nothin" he said his voice throaty, thick with an emotion she couldnt quite put a finger on.

She smiled. "Could be." she said softly, before turning briskly on her heel, and heading back to camp- not nearly as confident as her stride portrayed her to be.

.

He didnt come back to camp that night, and no one seemed to bothered by it- not even Daryl who just snicked. "Merles toughest sonovabitch I kno, prolly found some big game."

Andrea though wasnt so sure if he was going to come back to a campsight where she remained.

.

Rick was starting to get impatient, Daryl could feel the tension rolling off of him in tidal waves. He was ready to leave this area in hopes of something else, something better. Staying in one place out in the open really was a invitation to the dead.

And as the day dragged into another, even Daryls heart began to twist in uncertainty. He had offered to go look for him and Andrea had offered to come with him. But still, he was half afraid hed find his brother's bloodied remains- or worse, a walking flesh eating corpse of his former brother. He knew Merle was tough, he was sure he was fine- but the fear continued to eat at his brain and his head rang a mantra of curse words as him and Andrea walked stiffly through the woods.

"Tryin ta throw me off 'is trail." Daryl grumbled staring at the crunched leaves. "don' wanna be found."

Andrea nodded. "Daryl...I..."

"Went that way." Daryl said nodding towards the left and moving slowly in the general direction.

Andrea couldnt seem to find the words to continue, so she just silently followed behind Daryl- hoping to keep her footsteps as mute as her voice.

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A/N: RandR :)


	12. The Walking Dixons

A/N: How bout that episode last Sunday? I know I wasnt the only one who was literally screaming at Daryl. Psycho Rick, the Caryl, the Hershel kicking those stairs ass. Great day. Cant wait for Sunday! :) Anyway, in inspiration of that episode- I give you- The Walking Dixons. :)

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The Walking Dixons.

It wasnt that he was leaving- if he was leaving he would be taking his brother with him. It was always me n him, and Merle couldnt help but think thats how it _should _be. That stupid woman had just complicated things- made em feel _things. _Things he didnt wanna deal with. Things that would be stupid to develop considering who he was. Dixons dont get _love. _Dixons got spit on.

And he knew Daryl knew that just as well as him. Their daddy didnt let either one of em ever forget it.

He heard his brother before he saw em. He had upset him. He could hear it because he could bloody hear his footsteps that werent nearly as light as they should be. And he wasnt alone. He couldnt imagine that he had brought that Carol woman with him- he worried about her unessecarily. But whatever she was- whatever he felt- Merle knew it was expendable. Had to be.

It was him and me, and thats what it was. Had to be.

So that meant Rick or...Andrea. He had never hoped more in his life it was Officer Friendly. But sure enough, when they came into view- it was not. He could see them from where he perched in the tree- his metal hand slung over his left knee as he watched em. It was only a matter of time before Daryl found em. Only a matter of time before he had to tell his brother the inevitable- might as well not delay the process.

He jumped down on them, landing crouched on his feet. Andrea jumped back in surprise but did not scream, and Daryl just smirked until Merle rose to a stand straightning himself out. The look in his eyes was colder than Andrea had seen in quite a while-

"Its them or me babybrother." he said cooly, keeping his eyes on Daryl avoiding eye contact with Andrea whose presence seemed to throw him- just the slightest. "Make your choice."

He didnt say nothing- just nodded and the two returned to camp, leaving Andrea trailing a short distance behind.

What the hell had that nod meant exactly?

It wasnt until the scene unfolded back to camp that Andrea stood their frozen in shock as Daryl announced theyd know longer be travelling together. Rick stared at him, his eyes wide with to many emotions to name, and Carol who had been- whatever she was with Daryl- her eyes closed and she spun on her heel so fast Andrea wasnt even sure which direction she had taken off in.

All she noticed was that the smile never left Merle's face as he wrapped his arm around his little brother. Daryl's face scanning for his in a way that was sad but not desperate. Looking for what? Andrea wondered. One last nod. A chance to say goodbye- because rest assured he would never see her again.

And she would never see Merle Dixon again. The thought struck her than hard- they were signifigantly unsafe. They were signifigantly lower in numbers- two people meant the world in an apocolapse. She was signifigantly lonlier- and she could tell the group felt the same way...over a different person.

"You dont have to do this." Andrea said as they breached the entrance of the woods. Her eyes pleading. "We need you. Both of you.." Andrea pushed.

Daryl said nothing as Merle guided him away from her, the last glance he left her with was a cold one.

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A/N: Who knows how it woulda gone down if the group had excepted Merle. I mean- he would have been a handful. He has vaguely here- and look he ends up leaving anyway. Wonder if theyll come back. :) ReadandReview


	13. Empty

A/N: I know, I know its been a while, and its short as always. But for those of you who are still lurking around, I hope you appreciate the update nonetheless- with the third season at an end and both of these characters (well you know) I feel the need to end this soon, and end it happily (I hope). I hope you all enjoy. Thanks for being here.

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Empty

Daryl leaves them for exactly 32 hours before he returns quietly to their side, Merle is no where to be seen, and no matter how desperatly she wants to ask Daryl what happened and why Merle isnt with him- She wont. Because Merle Dixon was the one who left her.

It provided and pulled this strange feeling of emptiness from the depths of her soul that she wasnt so sure shed be able to survive- and every morning she managed to wield her weapon, and take watch, and manuever like everything was fine, she felt the loss expand in her chest when she lay down.

It was Daryl that hurt her the most, not because the weight he seemed to now carry on his shoulders. It was the fact he came back to everyones relief but hers. She was glad to have him here- they needed him, but Andrea...no Andrea needed Merle fucking Dixon.

And she hated herself for that.

But the push and pull, the give and take, the more or less- the almost was so painful, it thrummed the loudest whenever she saw Daryl. He was a constant reminder of his brothers abscense and while she never would wish him away, she just didnt want him here either.

.

"You miss him." She expected the words from Carol or Daryl maybe, but not Rick. She stared into his brown eyes for a moment, maybe two before she shook her head defiantly- the action to little to late.

"What makes you say that?" her voice is sharp, trying to cover up the apparentness of it all, trying to regain some dignity. Something.

"Because y'know exactly who Im talking about." his voice is a smile. "We've lost plenty. But you know just as well as I do who you miss- where your minds at."

Andrea sighs, deflated and figures theres no point in denying it if its that painstakingly obvious.

"He was an asset."

"He was dangerous." Rick counters, and Andrea can see the twinkle in his eye, and she bites down her snarky comment to come to the stupid rednecks aid and returns with something slightly more civil.

"Yes, but not to US. You put him..." she pauses correcting herself sullenly "WE put him in a position back in Atlanta where he cut off his own hand and that man, he would have done anything you asked him to. Regardless of what it was. He would of done it."

The wind blew between them, chilling- the change in weather coming sooner than any of them were ready for.

"Yeah, he would of." Rick says quietly as he reflects on the eldest Dixon. "Never liked him much." He admits. "But there was something about him...that even I kind of miss around here."

"He's dead isnt he?" Andrea says, because she knows Daryls told him and though she cant talk to the man himself- the sleepless nights are becoming to much for even Andrea, and she hopes the inevitable is easier to hear from Rick than the countless times shes told herself .

"No." Rick says. "No, Daryl just found himself needing us- more than his brother. Hes not devestated because he's dead. Hes guilty because he couldnt stay."

She cant bear anymore and she pushes up off the ground and heads towards the woods, anger coursing through her veins.

Why'd he have to hate her so much that he couldnt swallow his ego and stay? Why'd he have to like her or not like her enough that he couldnt stomach being within twenty feet of her? Whyd she have to fucking care?

She takes out three walkers without even batting eye lash, black blood coating her face, neck and arms. Her breathing is labored and her anger is unfaltering.

Fucking. Merle. Fucking. Dixon.

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As always, please- read and review.


	14. Survive

Survive

He was in a bar of course, he may not be able to find the good stuff anymore. The drugs. But alcohol there was still plenty of that floating around so why the hell not indulge in it? Why the hell not enjoy himself for a little while? Since his baby brother up and left him with all this sentimental bullshit- bout being there for him, bout what he wanted and not just Merle FUCKING Dixon.

He could of spit back the things hed taken for Daryl, the things he did for Daryl before he was even fucking BORN. But he didnt. They could throw blame at eachother for a hundred thousand things in their pathetic lifetime, but the things he did for Daryl. They didnt matter cause he made those choices. He choose his baby brother above all else, clung to him like the life preserver he was- and here Daryl had left him to drown.

So he took another swig of the bottle, hoping it would do something to easy the memorys of belts, and Daryl, and that stupid bitch whose name he didnt want to cross his mind for the rest of his fucking life- which hell in this day and age- may only be a few fucking days.

No matter how many bottles ended up around him though, he couldnt seem to get drunk enough to get the things off his mind. He vaguely remembered thats why he indulged in drugs. The alcohol got him pussy, the drugs got him relief at least for a little while anyway.

The bar seemed to spin around him, and his head lurched and rolls and he found himself smiling.

In another life, she never woulda looked at him. In this one, it was probably only in his head that she was looking at him. But he could feel her- though she was not here. He could feel her glare, see her blonde hair draping over him like a curtain. He could imagine her from his slouched position on the floor and though- he was half sure his subconscious or whatever bullshit that was torturing himself- the images were slightly pleassant. The glimpses of her. The flashes that invaded his mind, and pieces of his vision.

"Your fuckin' gorgeous." He slurs to no one imparticular, even though he knows shes here- haunting him somehow, and somehow he loves it.

He forgets about Daryl abandoning him and he forgets about Andrea and his world slowly goes black.

.

He wakes up to the sun just peeking through the bar windows, and he wonders how nothing managed to eat him in his unconscious state. He kind of wishes they had as he stretches his aching limps and rubs his pounding head.

He has a new resolve about him as he tames his hang over and hes not sure why- not sure what exactly happened to him while he was drunk, not quite sure he had his wits about him- but something in him had turned, rolled over and he had to find them.

He had to go back and find what was his, even if he wasnt sure what or who that was.

He just had to go back.

It takes him nearly two days to find them, and when he stumbles into their camp just off the main highway- his brother is the first to develop him in his arms. They dont speak of what happened, and the others slowly follow suit, not to discuss his arrival or his decision to come back or why he left, but all to acknowledge his return. All except …..

He hadnt realized hed been searching for her in the eyes of the people that now stood within reach. He looked behind them for any stragglers, anyone not coming over- her hiding somewhere in the shadows glaring at him, and he felt his heart hammer in his chest.

"Andrea?" His voice was hushed like he was whispering them all his darkest secret.

Its Carol who answers him, soft and quiet. "In the woods." She doesnt bother to tell him why rather it be to relieve herself, or scout the area, or whatever- she knows no matter what the reason he isnt going to wait- and he doesnt.

The moment Carol breathes that she's alive, hes gone, pushing past his brother with his shoulder and moves into the woods with a practiced ease that every Dixons probably ever had.

.

She's covered in a bit of walker blood, three corpses next to her- but from the look of her youd think she killed twenty. She was covered in the thick black blood from her cheeks, to her neck, to her knuckles, her white shirt pasted to her skin with the stuff. Her hands were shaking though and a part of him seriously doubted it was from fear.

He just stared watching her frame from down below him, just slightly from the uneven ground, and he found himself licking his lips as he watched her tense muscles- her back to him. The emotions that were running through her he wasnt sure if he understood, but the position she held, the power that rolled off of her- it made his chest swell with pride.

And even though he had never made such a claim on her, the thought entered his head before he could brush it away.

_ Thats my girl._

It didnt even bother him, and he watched as she started walking opposite of the camp, away from him- he decided hed savor the moment. His ego was deflating as he watched her- unsure how to make his claim, to tell her he wanted her, and not just in the physical sense. He wanted her, all of her for the rest of this fucked up life. He wanted her, he just wasnt so sure the sentiment was returned and if it wasnt- he wanted these private moments to remember. He wanted this raw Andrea to stay in his mind for the rest of forever even if he wasnt part of the memory. He wanted to remember her at her finest and her weakest, and he was sure right now- he was getting both.

Not sentimental my ass, he thought as he shook the feelings and thoughts of her asside. Because paying attention was how you survive- not all the emotions that come with the paying attention- just the paying attention part.

Its how he survived his father- its how he would survive her.

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As always, please, read and review. :)


	15. Home Part I

A/N: The beginning of smut ahead. Ignore this chapter if it is not your thing. Annnnd possibly the next one too. :)

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Home Part I

She kept walking until she heard the babble of a stream- they were hard to come by. But she knew one was here only because of a conversation with a man she desperatly didnt want to remember. She walked towards her, her shoulder blades stiff with tension she couldnt seem to release, no matter how many walkers she put down.

So she walked towards the sound, her footsteps heavy- aggravated at herself for not having better control of her emotions. Its not like they ever were anything anyway, and maybe somewhere deep down- that was what pissed her off the most.

It wasnt long before she reached the stream, and took a look at herself in the reflection did she feel her shoulders drop. She covered in the thick black blood of the dead, and her eyes looked as empty as theirs.

"Stupid Man." she muttered, and no matter how hard she tried to pinpoint when she found herself loving Merle Dixon- she couldnt do it. It was the snarky attitude, that undeserved smirk, it was those blue eyes. It was those soft glances towards Daryl, it was in the way he wielded his weapon with such confidence- it was in his every move and every gesture and now everything that she loved and hated and found herself desperatly wanting more of was gone.

Why do you have to lose something to appreciate it?

"Cant lose what you never had." she reminded herself as she plopped down at the edge of the stream, taking her shoes off and dipping her feet into the water. She found herself thinking back to the mans scars when it was just the two of them and another unfamiliar stream. She found her muscles aching all the more and instead of focusing on getting the dried blood off of her- she focused on the ripples in the stream- and thin lines that had covered his back.

It was such a powerful memory- the closest shed ever get to him. And now it was all she had.

X

It was the desire to hold her- that made him give up his watch. He was surprised by it, by the minute her shoulders dropped and she took a seat by the bubbling water- he found the need to reach out and comfort her. That her strong front was meerly an act for some inner turmoil she found herself in, and he was willing to bet his remaining good hand, he was somehow at fault for it.

So he walked down towards her, the sound of water covered the sound of his footsteps and when he took a seat beside her not bothering to remove his boots (an action which would annoy him immensly later), he was surprised when she didnt even jump. It wasnt until her eyes made her way to his face that he realized the gravity of his actions.

Her eyes were wide and watery and her lower lip was trembling just slightly. She wasnt going to cry- he saw that clearly, that she was going to do everything in her god damn power to not shed a single tear over him.

"I hate you." her voice was soft and trembling, and he couldnt help but smile.

"I know." He whispered, taking his good hand and rubbing wet little circles on the dried blood that covered her face, with time, the blood slowly began to wear off- and with slow uncertainty- he one handily began to move her out of her shirt- to which she obliged pulling the white garment over her head in a smooth gesture.

His breathing hitched as he stared at her and her white bra that hugged her breasts in a way he found himself wanting to. But he focused at the task at hand, swallowing his lust and ignoring the twitch between his legs and found himself wetting his one good hand again to move the blood off her throat and abdomen.

She found herself staring at him as he consentrated on cleaning her with nothing but his hand. It was much harder than say if he had used his shirt- but she didnt suggest he remove it. She didnt want him to bare his scars unless he wanted too. She didnt want him to struggle at the difficulty of being one handed in front of her. She knew Merle Dixon well enough to know that action would push all of his buttons that to do a simple task in a timeable manner that he wasnt able to easily accomplish. So she watched as his calloused hands fingered the water, and then gently began to massage the blood off of her neck.

It was his simple innocent touch that made her shudder, he wasnt trying to invoke anything in her as he watched the blood off- he could see it in his eyes- what he was trying to do- what he was trying to show her- still the action of him touching her so softly did more than warm her heart. She knew lots about the man across from her- but she didnt know he was capabe of this..this tenderness.

It wasnt until his finger brushed her side, did she let out this little whimper. He paused and looked up at her uncertainly about the noise, unsure if it was an injury or not. He repeated the action putting a little more pressure with his thumb as he brushed the blood off of her side just at the edge of her jeans- the noise was repeated and no mark could be found under the now clean skin and he found himself biting his lip.

He wasnt an idiot- he knew she liked that, the question was what was he going to do about it? Instead of being direct he figured hed play with the idea- make her say it. Make her say that even if she did hate him, that she wanted him. She wanted him as badly as he wanted her. So his fingers brushed the sensitive skin again, and she shivered her eyes searching his for his reason.

"You hurt?" he questioned. "Something inside?" his voice was hushed and somehow seductive as he traced the curves from under her breast to her hipbone- and somehow he didnt even sem like he was being provacative. It seemed like he was just genuinally questioning her reactions, and somehow that frustrated her even more.

"No." she said and she cursed that there was a tremble of need in her voice. She was pretty much half naked in front of the man- what more did he need, the invitation was right there? It wasnt until she caught the glint in his eyes did she realize he was fucking with her. At first it made her angry, why would he want to fuck around with this when their days were numbered especially when one of them could just walk away at any given poitn? The anger made her hand twitch, and then it turned into something else.

He wasnt fucking around to be cruel. He was playing a game, a game that she could win.

She rose to a stand her hands wrapping to the bra strap behind her back as she unpinned the garment. She watched him noticing, he just swallowed down whatever he was going to say next. His eyes ogling her breasts as she moved to her pants, slowly shimming them and her panties down to her ankles before kicking them off to the side with the rest of her clothing.

"Might ass well clean up the rest of the way." and she submerged hersef in the cold water, simple as that.

He thought he was going to explode when she was getting undressed in front of him. It literally took everything he had to not reach for her- and it was taking everything he had now, not to rip himself out of his clothes and join her. Her nipples were hard, water droplets cleaning to her breasts and her long blonde hair and he couldnt help but tense at the sight of her.

God she was making him hurt, and the game- the desire to get her to admit her want for him, hated or not- was forgotten. Merle Dixon wanted her, and the straining erection in his jeans was a declearation of that. He felt like he was walking on eggshells- fighting between intamacy, playfulness, and desire.

He wanted her, and he wanted her to understand how bad, and he wasnt sure what game she was playing. What her head was doing, what she was feeling, and as much as he didnt want to overlook those things, it was becoming increasingly harder the longer she stood naked and wet in front of him.

"Andrea" he started, his feet moving on their own towards her- a sound of a gun shot interupting them- just as he was about to take her for all that she was.

X

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Authors Note: R and as always, thank you :)


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